Weather forecasters to warn Prescott over new homes plan

Meteorologists are to warn John Prescott that his plans for thousands of new homes could change weather patterns.

The warning comes after the deputy prime minister linked America's refusal to tackle climate changes to the New Orleans flood disaster.

Professor Chris Collier, president of the Royal Meteorological Society, will use his address to society's annual conference on Thursday to express concern about "heat islands" from urban areas.

Prof Collier is calling for research on the impact of new setlements on the climate.

He told SocietyGuardian.co.uk today: "The meteorological effects of urban areas on the can be comparable to climate change."

He explained that areas downwind of cities could expect higher levels of rainfall.

"Tall buildings have the biggest effects, but it built up areas generally have an impact," he said. "John Prescott is talking about a very extensive new development, particularly to the east of London. The potential impact of that needs to be studied."

His speech will come at a time of increasing alarm at the environmental impact of the government's housebuilding plans.

Earlier this month Peter Ainsworth, the chairman of the Commons' environmental audit committee, warned that the scheme would add to global warming.

In an interview with SocietyGuardian.co.uk he said: "The environmental consequences of a huge expansion of housing in the south-east are also potentially very worrying. Unless you have really rigorous environmental standards built into the houses themselves, you've got a whole lot of little CO2 generating plants all over the countryside."

Last week the Campaign to Protect Rural England warned that the genuine countryside could be lost in a generation unless current development trends are reversed.

In a report published on Friday it added that in the meantime: "Climate change threatens to undermine the long established natural processes at work in the countryside, while our response to the associated extreme weather and increased shortage of water could cause more damage still."